The 10th annual Denver Post Ovation Awards will be the most evenly distributed yet, and that's not by design. It's a reflection of the growing quality of theater around the state.

The Arvada Center again leads all companies, with 12 finalists for the annual awards honoring the best theater from around the state. But that's far fewer than in recent years. Right behind is the Buntport Theater collective with 10; Paragon and Town Hall with nine each, and Creede Repertory with eight.

Nominations were culled from the 154 productions observed by Post critics in 2010. The winners will be determined by theater critic John Moore and published Dec. 26.

Top row from left: Christopher Alleman, Tina Anderson, Anthony J. Garcia; bottom row, from left: Zach Page and Lucy Roucis are those being considered for the Denver Post's 2010 "Theater Person of the Year." Last year's award, bottom right, went to Kathleen M. Brady.

The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center's "Sweeney Todd" leads all musicals with seven nods. The most-honored plays are Buntport's "The World Is Mine," a look inside the sotted mind of Eugene O'Neill; and the LIDA Project's "Mouse in a Jar," about an imprisoned woman with Stockholm syndrome, with five each.

In all, a record 39 companies and 66 productions placed at least one finalist.

The best of the Denver Center Theatre Company is considered in separate categories.

2010 DENVER POST OVATION AWARD NOMINEES

Theater person of the year

Christopher Alleman: The artistic director of the Lake Dillon Theatre, 70 miles west of Denver, has grown his budget 236 percent since 2003, to $555,000. A four-star production of "Hair" was sold-out from start to finish, and plans are in the works for the company to step up to professional union (Equity) status.

Tina Anderson: Denver's most prolific scenic designer conceived and built a whopping 19 sets for eight different companies or schools in 2010, including PHAMALy's "Beauty and the Beast" at the Denver Center, Town Hall's "Rent" and the Denver Children's Theatre's "Cinderella."

Anthony J. Garcia: The artistic director and heart of 39-year-old Su Teatro pulled off the move of Denver's only Chicano theater company from north Denver to its West Side roots at the Denver Civic Theatre on Santa Fe Drive. The author of more than 30 original plays and musicals also was commissioned to adapt Sonia Nazario's Pulitzer-winning novel, "Enrique's Journey."

Zach Page: Forget that he's an 18-year-old college student. Page responded to the recent rash of teen suicides by rallying the local theater community to action. Not only did he tape an "It Gets Better" video featuring more than 40 locals, he culled enough footage for a coming documentary. Page is also appearing in Spotlight Theatre's "Inspecting Carol" and co-directed the current children's theater production at the Victorian Playhouse.

Lucy Roucis: The actor took her humor to the big screen — part of her comedy routine on the pros and cons of having Parkinson's disease made it into the film "Love and Other Drugs." She appeared on stage in PHAMALy's "Barefoot in the Park" and "Beauty and the Beast." A tireless advocate, Roucis also traveled to Glasgow, Scotland, where she headed two seminars on how to live with Parkinson's — and good humor.

Lockheed says object part of 'sensor technology' testing that ended ThursdayWhat the heck is that thing? It's fair to assume that question was on the minds of many people who traveled along Colo. 128 south of Boulder this week if they happened to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a large, silver projectile perched alongside the highway and pointed north toward town.

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